Department for Transport

Public Expenditure

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2015 to Question 221267, what the reasons were for each of the agent's fees of more than £100,000 in financial year 2013-14; and what the amount was that was paid to each agent.

Claire Perry: The reason for each agent's fees more than £100,000 in financial year 2013-14 and the amount that was paid to each agent are provided in the table below as follows:  Reasons for each agent's fees of more than £100,000Amount paid to each Agent (£’000)The total agents fees paid as set out in this specific cost category relate to the DVLA Wheel-clamping service.8,475Railway Pensions Management Ltd - management costs of the railway pension schemes which were taken over by the DfT when British Railways closed down, and are a statutory obligation. 4,750 Costs relating to the Modernising Employment Contract Buyout and subsequent merger of VOSA and DSA to form the DVSA.14,988

Subscriptions

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, to which organisations his Department paid subscriptions of more than £1,000 in 2013-14; and how much his Department paid to each such organisation.

Claire Perry: The organisations that the Department paid subscriptions of more than £1,000 in 2013-14; and the amounts paid to each such organisation are provided in the table below:   Organisations to which the Department paid subscriptions of more than £1,000Amount paid (£’000)UK Contribution to Paris Agreement40Technical Standards Agency Subscription31Etsi Subscription6Equasis54IMO Annual Subscription1,552Environment and Ship Safety subs103ITSO (Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation) Ltd39The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT)47DHL Global1The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP)120Telephone Technologies Inc (TTI Technologies LLC)28Imperial College London19ERTICO - ITS Europe11Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) Annual Subscription240Informa PLC2

Publicity

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2015 to Question 221267, what the reasons were for the 10 largest items of media and publicity expenditure in financial year 2013-14.

Claire Perry: The reasons for the 10 largest items of media and publicity expenditure in the financial year 2013-14 are provided in the table below as follows: Largest itemsReasons for largest items of media and publicity expenditure  DfT Road Safety Marketing CampaignThe expenditure relates to Think Road Safety Campaign.Purchase road safety materialsFor local Authorities Road Safety Officers and Teachers.Advertising costs (several items)Highways Agency’s Statutory advertising - advising the public, transport users and business of future road closures, route changes and maintenance of the road Networks.Internal CommunicationsExternal Agency for media and publicity activities.Coastal Rescue Public Relation eventsPayments for public relation events for coastal rescue services.Recruitment & appointment (several items)Recruiting and appointing new staff.Licence FeesFor Survey Access.United states AdvertisingVehicle Certification Agency Business Development analysis through American Express.Procurement advertisingAdvertising procurement opportunities over 2013-14.

Banks: Fees and Charges

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2015 to Question 221267, which banks charged his Department more than £1,000 in 2013-14; and what the reason was for each such bank charge.

Claire Perry: The banks that charged more than £1,000 in 2013-14; and the reason for each such bank chargeare listed in the table below:Which Bank charged the Department more than £1000Reason RBSThis is the payment made for the running of British Transport Police accounts including charges for BACS and CHAPS payments International Banks around the GlobeVCA has a global presence and uses a number of commercial banks to conduct its Business. The bank charges cover normal commercial transaction costs and currency conversion charges. BarclaysBarclays provides banking services ranging from quarterly commitments fees, credit facilities, overdraft facilities and interest charges on Swaps to a number of external Entities within the Group Barclaycard ExpensesVCA has a global presence and uses a number of commercial banks to conduct its Business. The bank charges cover normal commercial transaction costs and currency conversion charges. Bank of EnglandThe Bank of England charges the Department for using the Government Banking Service. The costs incurred relate to the production of e.g. high volumes of payable orders through these bank accounts. Royal Bank of ScotlandBank charges for general transaction and account administration fees. LloydsHS2 Ltd operates a Commercial Bank Account with Lloyds and incurred transaction charges for making and receiving payments in the ordinary course of business.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Housing: Morecambe

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will investigate the destination of the £9 million spent by Lancaster City Council on the Chatsworth Gardens area of the west end of Morecambe over the last 10 years.

Brandon Lewis: Holding answer received on 27 January 2015



In 2012, the City Council successfully bid for £1.9 million of funding from our Empty Homes fund to restore and refurbish 114 rundown empty homes in the area. Under the terms of this scheme, the Council will match the funding value (taking the total investment to £3.8 million). I understand that the programme is on course to meet its delivery targets by March 2015. I understand that there is a potential private partnership to help build 92 new homes in the area by 2016. However, the picture under the last Administration is less clear-cut. In 2004, the Council was awarded £11.9 million of funding to regenerate this area. The development plans then stalled and were scaled down. The Council subsequently returned £4 million of unspent funding to the Homes and Communities Agency. However, the net outcome under the last Administration, was £7.8 million of public spending (offset by just £789,000 of income from property sales) to make just 47 homes structurally safe. Serious questions need to be asked about whether this represents value for money.

Social Rented Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on collecting payments for repairs to leasehold properties covered by the Decent Homes programme.

Brandon Lewis: The Department has provided the following guidance to Local Authorities on collecting payments for repairs to leasehold properties covered by the Decent Homes Standard:-  On 12 August 2014 this Department introduced “The Social landlords Mandatory Reduction of Service Charges (England) Directions 2014”. The new mandatory directions limit charges that social landlords can make to leaseholders in respect of major works funded by the Government. The cap is £10,000 for works outside London and £15,000 for inside London, over any 5 year period.   The Department wrote to all local authorities (letter attached) about the wide range of payment options available to help leaseholders meet major works bills associated with Decent Homes Funding. This letter reminded local authorities of the importance of the following points:-   Reminding landlords of the importance of meaningful engagement with leaseholders at an early stage on issues relating to major works bills.   Existing statutory consultation requirements upon landlords where proposed works will cost an individual more than £250, or where it is proposed to enter into a long term agreement involving costs to the service charge payer of more than £100 in any accounting year and their rights to nominate contractors from whom estimates should be sought.   There is a statutory duty for landlords to provide loans on specified terms to help leaseholders pay service charges where requested in specified circumstances.   Landlords may offer interest-bearing loans on terms which they determine.   Landlords can also offer equity loans – i.e. interest-free loans on which there is a monthly repayment and which pay a percentage of the market value when the property in question is sold. These loans are on terms agreed with the individual leaseholder   Landlords can cancel the service charge bill by taking an equity share in the property, where there is no monthly repayment and the landlord redeems their share when the property is sold. These arrangements are on terms agreed with the individual leaseholder.   Landlords can extend or delay the repayment period for the service charge for a period which they determine.   Landlords may defer payment until the property is sold, charging interest in the meantime (known as putting a charge on a property)   They can also buy the property back from the leaseholder on terms which they agree. Buybacks are part-funded by Government. Service charges sought towards the costs incurred by landlords are only recoverable to the extent that they are reasonably incurred, in accordance with the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.   The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 provides leaseholders with a number of statutory rights where service charges are concerned, including the right to be consulted by their landlord about proposed works, and the right to challenge the reasonableness of service charge demands at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).   Guidance and advice in respect of service charge issues where this is needed, is available from the Leasehold Advisory Service, which is an independent body supported by Government to provide advice on residential leasehold issues.   Right to Buy purchasers are protected by a statutory requirement that the landlord, before selling, must estimate service charges likely to arise during the 5 years following the sale, and may not charge more than this estimate except a prescribed allowance for inflation.  



Letter on LA Major Works Bill
(Word Document, 94 KB)

Written Questions: Government Responses

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to answer Question 219077, tabled on 17 December 2014.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refuges

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the number of places in refuges for women fleeing domestic violence in each year since 2010.

Kris Hopkins: This Department does not make estimates of the number of refuge places for those fleeing domestic abuse. Decisions on the provision of accommodation for victims of domestic abuse are for local authorities. We expect local authorities to commission services based on the needs of their communities, taking account of locally available data sources. Government does not directly fund domestic abuse refuges, however, this Government has invested £6.5 billion to help vulnerable people through housing related support. A proportion of this money will be used by local authorities to commission refuge services. In addition we have made over £500 million available since 2010 to local authorities and the voluntary sector to prevent and tackle homelessness and rough sleeping including support for victims of domestic abuse. In November 2014 we made available £10 million (2014-16) for local authorities, working with specialist domestic abuse service providers, to stop the closure of refuges and improve and grow existing provision. We also issued new statutory guidance that makes clear the practice of providing refuge to support only to local victims is unacceptable and which set out clear standards that refuges services should meet. The dynamics of domestic abuse mean that accommodation can play an important role in the resolution of interpersonal abuse and conflict. This is why the homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and for vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own. We also fund UKRefugesOnline a UK wide database of domestic violence services which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline. This service enables those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and potential refuge vacancies around the country so that victims can get the help they need as quickly as possible. In addition, this Government has ring-fenced nearly £40 million of funding for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services until 2015. This funding is used to part-fund 54 multi-agency risk assessment conference co-ordinators and 144 independent domestic violence advisers. We have piloted and rolled out Clare's Law and domestic violence protection orders; extended the definition of domestic abuse to cover controlling behaviour and teenage relationships; run two successful campaigns to challenge perceptions of abuse; and placed Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing to make sure lessons are learned from individual tragedies. More recently we have added an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill at Commons Committee stage to create a new offence of domestic abuse. The amendment closes the gap in the current legal framework to capture repeated or continuous coercive and controlling behaviour, specifically where that behaviour takes place in an ongoing intimate partner or inter-familial relationship.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Iran

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the consequences of Iran's refusal to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to its Arak and Parchin nuclear-related facilities.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has monthly access to the reactor at Arak. The IAEA Director General’s 7 November report confirms that Iran continues to abide by its commitment under the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) not to make further advances on the Arak reactor for the duration of the JPoA.Access for the IAEA to Parchin remains an important but unfulfilled step. The 7 November IAEA report reiterates that clean-up activities at the site are likely to have undermined the Agency’s ability to conduct effective verification, however it is imperative that Iran provides access as the Agency continues to request. We fully support their work on this crucial issue.

Iran

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of Iran's financial and material support for Hezbollah.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We continue to have serious concerns about Iran's support for the military wing of Hizballah. This support includes the provision of significant financial resources, military equipment and training, in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 1747, which prohibits the export of weapons by Iran. We call on Iran to implement its obligations under this resolution and end its military support which undermines regional security.

Nigeria

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government is supplying to the Nigerian government in the form of intelligence and counter-terrorism expertise to help in the fight against Boko Haram.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK is providing a substantial package of UK military, intelligence and development support to Nigeria. A resident military training and advisory team, supplemented as required by short term training teams from the UK, is delivering a programme of military capacity building assistance to the Nigerian military. This includes tactical training and advice on counter-insurgency. We continue to provide commercial satellite imagery to the Intelligence Fusion Cell in Abuja, where UK personnel are working alongside Nigerian, US and French colleagues. With France and the US, we are also supporting regional intelligence sharing arrangements between Nigeria and its neighbours.

Libya

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the situation in Libya on UK-Libyan relations; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK remains deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Libya. We, together with our international partners, continue to support the people of Libya. The UK’s commitment to Libya is reflected by the Prime Minister’s appointment of UK Special Envoy Jonathan Powell. The Envoy is working with key Libyan interlocutors and international partners to support UN efforts led by Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG), Bernardino Leon, to facilitate fully inclusive dialogue to reach a lasting political agreement. I recently met the Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Al-Dayre, on my visit to Cairo 12 - 15 January. I said the UK was supportive of the Geneva talks hosted by UN SRSG Leon and encouraged full participation.

Islamic State

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will commission research into possible links between ISIL and the smuggling of contraband tobacco.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We have spent considerable time analysing funding flows to ISIL (the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). Based on the information available, we believe that a substantial share of ISIL’s revenue is derived from the sale of oil and commodities, taxation and extortion. Revenue generated from the smuggling of tobacco is likely to account for some of this, although the amount is believed to be relatively small as a share of ISIL’s total revenue. We are working with our partners in the international community to deny ISIL access to funds and led negotiations for the adoption of UNSCR 2170 (15 August 2014), which calls on all states to ensure that no funds, financial assets or economic resources are made available, directly or indirectly, to ISIL or to terrorists more generally.

Hong Kong

Sir Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representatives of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government met the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office during his visit to that region in January 2015.

Mr Hugo Swire: On the day of my visit, the Hong Kong Government was focused on the launch of the second public consultation on constitutional reform. They were consequently unavailable to meet me. It was nevertheless valuable for me to visit Hong Kong on my way back from mainland China, in light of recent events and our ongoing interest under the Joint Declaration. I was able to meet the President of the Legislative Council and a wide range of legislators, which was particularly important given their key role in the next stage of the constitutional reform process, as well as Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma and representatives of the business community.

Attorney General

Crime: Victims

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Attorney General, how many victims have exercised the right to review a Crown Prosecution Service decision not to prosecute; and in how many of those cases the decision was changed.

Mr Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Victims’ Right to Review scheme came into effect on the 5th June 2013. Between the date the scheme commenced and the 30th September 2014 the CPS reviewed 2,023 appeals of which 267 (13.2%) were upheld.The number of decisions overturned represents a very small fraction of all the decisions made by CPS lawyers. During the period from 1st June 2013 to 30th September 2014, the CPS finalised 168,703 cases with a qualifying decision. This means that 0.16% of cases that would qualify under the scheme resulted in an upheld Appeal.

Victims Liaison Unit

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Attorney General, what the functions of Crown Prosecution Service victim liaison units are; and how their performance is monitored.

Mr Robert Buckland: Victim Liaison Units are responsible for: i. informing victims of decisions, made by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), to stop proceedings or substantially alter a charge; ii. the administration of the Victims’ Right to Review scheme and other CPS victim focused schemes; and iii. managing complaints and feedback received.   Assurance processes are in place locally to ensure the quality of the service provided by each Victim Liaison Unit. Performance monitoring is undertaken using a number of bespoke IT systems.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Apprentices

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average time was for businesses applying for and receiving financial support under the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers Scheme; and what (a) benchmarks and (b) targets he has set for that time period.

Nick Boles: Payment and processing for the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers Scheme is triggered once the apprentice has reached 13 weeks into their apprenticeship. From the day the apprentice reaches the 13 week date, the payment can take between 5 weeks and 9 weeks to reach the training provider. This is dependent on where the 13 week point falls in relation to the next monthly data return to the Skills Funding Agency. The Skills Funding Agency pays the provider who then pays the employer. The government benchmark is to pay suppliers within 30 days, this applies to the payment being made to the employer by the provider, once the provider has received funds from the Skills Funding Agency.

Apprentices

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 or over are employed by his Department.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills currently employs 47 apprentices.   3 apprentices are aged (a) 16 to 18, 12 apprentices are aged (b) 19 to 24 and 32 apprentices are aged (c) 25 or over.

Offshore Industry

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what employment protections exist for staff in the offshore oil and gas sector in the event of an employer seeking to replace them with non-UK based workers on lower rates of pay.

Jo Swinson: A range of employment rights, including protections from unfair dismissal, have been extended to offshore workers over the years. The exact entitlements available to an offshore worker can depend on the nature of their employment and the location of their work.   However, as the Government has already acknowledged, it is not always easy for individuals to establish their employment status and therefore determine their rights. That is why the employment status review, announced by my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in October last year, will consider how the current framework and entitlements work, presenting a range of options for Ministers to consider in March

Regional Growth Fund

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which winning bidders have withdrawn from each bidding round of the Regional Growth Fund in each region; on what date each such withdrawal took place; and what the monetary value was of each such bid.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Exports: Government Assistance

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many firms have received financial support under the Export Refinancing Scheme to date; and on what date each such instance of support was received.

Matthew Hancock: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Distributive Trade

Mr Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps his Department has taken to support the retail and wholesale industry.

Nick Boles: Latest figures published the Office for National Statistics on 23rd January show that the value of retail sales (excluding automotive fuel) in 2014 totalled £339 billion. This is an all-time high for the UK and is £47 billion higher than 2010 in cash terms.   Retail is vitally important to local and national economies, which is why Government is actively working to help all retailers. In October 2013, BIS published "A Strategy for Future Retail"; it was developed in partnership with industry and built on the previous retail strategy. It comprises actions to address barriers to retail growth and performance, and to help retail prepare itself for the future.   The 2014 Autumn Statement announced a £1 billion package to reduce the cost of business rates, including continuing the 2% RPI multiplier cap and the doubling of the Small Business Rates Relief to April 2016, increasing the discount for smaller retail premises to £1,500 to March 2016, extending Transitional Rate Relief to March 2017 and changing the rules on when alterations to rateable values can only be backdated to. This £1 billion package builds on the £2.7 billion support package introduced at Autumn Statement 2013.   The Government is also supporting town centres across the country to revitalise their high streets. This includes banning CCTV for parking, allowing residents and firms to review parking policies, a freeze on parking penalty charges, a review of Business Improvement Districts, action on planning, and support for the digital high street and retail markets. This is on top of: £2.3 million to support the 27 Portas Pilots and 330 town teams across England, £10 million from the High Street Innovation Fund, and a £500, 000 loan fund for new Business Improvement Districts.   Retail and wholesale industries are able to benefit from the support that Government is offering to all sectors. My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister recently announced the 25,000th Start Up Loan –over £129 million has been lent to people of all ages to start their own business. Government has created one of the most competitive tax regimes in the world and businesses have less regulation. There has been a £10 billion cumulative net saving to business over the course of this Parliament. Small businesses have better access to business advice and support. GREATbusiness.gov.uk brings together all Government advice, guidance and support in one place. And for those who are ready to really grow, the Business Growth Service brings together expert advice to improve and grow in one place for up to 20,000 firms each year with the ambition and capacity to grow.

Minimum Wage

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 208599, on the minimum wage, how many notices of underpayment have been issued since 1 October 2013 in cases where the investigation commenced on or after that date.

Jo Swinson: 276 Notices of Underpayment have been issued by HMRC since 1 October 2013 where the investigation started on or after that date. All of these cases will be considered for naming under the revised BIS naming scheme. We have already named 92 employers under the new scheme and we will name more soon.   After the Notice of Underpayment is issued, employers have 28 days to pay back the arrears they owe and the penalty, or they can lodge an appeal against the NOU. HMRC then issue a case closure letter. From the date of that letter, the employer has 14 days to make a representation to BIS as to why they should not be named.   Any worker who is concerned that they have not been paid the minimum wage should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.

Oil: Prices

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect that the present low price of oil is having on the preservation and development of the oil and gas industry skills base.

Matthew Hancock: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Apprentices: Hendon

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprenticeship starts there were in the Hendon constituency in each year since 2005.

Nick Boles: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by geography is published in a supplementary table to a Statistical First Release (SFR): https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/378235/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls

Citizens Advice

Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funding his Department allocated to the Citizens Advice Service in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and what such funding it has allocated for 2015-16.

Jo Swinson: The table below sets out the amount of funding the Department allocated to Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland in 2013-2014 together with funding levels as set out in their respective grant allocation letters for the current financial year (2014-15). Funding allocations for 2015-16 have yet to be confirmed.   Financial YearCitizens Advice (£)Citizens Advice Scotland(£)TOTAL (£)2013-1439,667,3005,614,80045,282,1002014-1537,840,3007,239,70045,080,000

Department for International Development

World Food Programme

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had with the UK's international partners on providing additional funding for the UN World Food Programme.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with which countries she has had discussions on additional funding for UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The Secretary of State for International Development has regular discussions with a range of international partners on financing for United Nations and other international agencies for emergency response.

Nigeria

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to encourage the Nigerian government to allow international aid agencies to carry out their work in the north-east of that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK is in regular dialogue with the Government of Nigeria about support to victims of Boko Haram. This includes discussing the importance of the Government of Nigeria’s continued support to international aid agencies.

Syria

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on the ability of Syria's neighbouring countries to manage the safety and security of Syrian refugees; and what discussions she has had with the UNHCR on the particular requirements relating to refugees with urgent medical needs, children and victims of torture and sexual violence.

Justine Greening: DFID is in regular contact with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at country, regional and headquarter levels about all aspects of their mandate, including the protection, safety and security of refugees.

Nigeria

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if the Government will provide funding to meet the humanitarian needs of people affected by the insurgency in Nigeria.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK has provided £1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver food, safe water, clothes, shelter material and other basic necessities to those people displaced following attacks by Boko Haram. A further £1 million of UK funding is committed to the Nigerian Government’s “Safe Schools Initiative” to help protect children at school in North East Nigeria and provide schooling to children displaced by the violence. The UK has also contributed £1.7 million to the UN’s and EU’s relief efforts.

Nigeria

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to provide increased support to people displaced as a result of the violence by Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK has provided £1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver food, safe water, clothes, shelter material and other basic necessities to those people displaced following attacks by Boko Haram. A further £1 million of UK funding is committed to the Nigerian Government’s “Safe Schools Initiative” to help protect children at school in North East Nigeria and provide schooling to children displaced by the violence. The UK has also contributed £1.7 million to the UN’s and EU’s relief efforts.

Nigeria

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to provide support for the education of girls and young women in conflict-affected areas of Northern Nigeria.

Mr Desmond Swayne: DFID has a number of large education programmes across northern Nigeria, the risks to which are being actively managed to ensure that we can still get 800,000 more children into better quality primary schools by 2015.   The UK has also committed £1 million to the Nigerian Government’s “Safe Schools Initiative” to help protect children at school in north east Nigeria and provide schooling to children displaced by the violence.

Syria

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the restrictions recently placed on Syrian refugees seeking to enter Lebanon.

Justine Greening: The UK Government is clear that Lebanon must meet its international obligations to permit humanitarian entry to refugees fleeing conflict in Syria.

Nigeria

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will appoint dedicated humanitarian advisers on a permanent basis in Nigeria to oversee the distribution of humanitarian funds and the work of aid agencies.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The humanitarian response needs to be led by the Government of Nigeria and supported by the UN. DFID is working closely with the UN and other international partners both in Nigeria and in the region to ensure that humanitarian needs are met.

Developing Countries: Taxation

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent on programmes designed to strengthen tax systems in the developing world in each of the last five years.

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent on programmes designed to strengthen the tax systems in each country in each of the last five years.

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's budget has been spent on programmes designed to strengthen tax systems in the developing world in each of the last five years.

Justine Greening: We do not currently record tax programmes under a separate spend code but we have been expanding our work on tax and transparency over the Parliament. This includes the establishment of a specialist Developing Country Capacity Building Unit in HMRC, to deploy HMRC staff to provide technical expertise in support of these efforts.   Statistics on Overseas Development Assistance are published by calendar year in line with international best practice. Information on country of spend is available from the National Statistics publication ‘Statistics on International Development’ https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-2014 . Information on spend by specific project is available from the Development Tracker http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/

Syria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she next plans to visit Syrian refugee camps in (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon, (c) Turkey, (d) Egypt and (e) Iraq.

Justine Greening: We do not routinely disclose information on future Ministerial travel for security reasons.

Syria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Arab League on co-ordinating support for Syrian refugees.

Justine Greening: The UK is in regular contact with key international partners involved in the response to the crisis in Syria and the region at ministerial and official level.

Overseas Aid

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department has spent on economic development projects in each year since 2005-06.

Justine Greening: This information is not available in the form requested but will be for financial year 2015/16 onwards to track spend against our £1.8billion spend in this area.

Russia

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department has spent in Russia in each year since 2005-06.

Justine Greening: The table below details bilateral spend DFID disbursed to Russia from 2005/06 to 2013/14.   Year£ thousand2005-06£5,6842006-07£5,9452007-08£3732008-09£1902009-10£1,5072010-11£1,2692011-12£02012-13£02013-14£0

Developing Countries: Taxation

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in her Department worked on issues relating to taxation in the developing world in each of the last five years.

Justine Greening: The estimated numbers of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff members are one FTE in 2008/09 and 2009/10, two in 2010/11 and four in 2011/12 and 2013/14. These are staff based in the UK working specifically on tax and do not include the wide range of staff across the Department, including policy, financial, corporate advisers and staff in country offices, who also work on tax. This does not include HMRC staff providing tax capacity technical assistance in DFID partner countries.

Procurement

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's centrally awarded contracts were won by UK firms in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12, (d) 2012-13 and (e) 2014-15.

Justine Greening: DFID does not award contracts on the basis of where a firm is based as we are committed to untied aid.

Developing Countries: Overseas Investment

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which offices of her Department are authorised to invest in returnable capital.

Justine Greening: No offices of DFID are authorised to make investments.

Caribbean

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2015 to Question 220282, and with reference to page 234 of the Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14, what the reason is for the planned increase in funding to the Department's Caribbean programme in 2014-15 compared with 2013-14.

Justine Greening: My answer to Question 220282 remains the same. DFID is not increasing its non-humanitarian funding to the Caribbean from 2013-14 to 2014-15. The figures on actual spend in 14-15 will be presented in DFIDs 14-15 Annual Report and Accounts.

Nigeria

Mr Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what additional funding her Department is providing to mitigate the refugee situation in northern Nigeria and surrounding areas.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK has provided £1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nigeria to deliver food, safe water, clothes, shelter material and other basic necessities to those people displaced following attacks by Boko Haram. A further £1 million of UK funding is committed to the Nigerian Government’s “Safe Schools Initiative” to help protect children at school in North East Nigeria and provide schooling to children displaced by the violence. The UK has also contributed £1.7 million to the UN’s and EU’s relief efforts in Nigeria.   In addition, the UK is providing humanitarian support across the Sahel region – including £8m in Niger and £5.5m in Chad - to in part help those countries address the refugee caseload from Nigeria.

Department for Education

Foster Care

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2015 to Question 220175, on what occasions her Department has intervened when a local authority had not complied with its statutory responsibility of meeting the six-week regulation for visits of children since 2010.

Mr Edward Timpson: There are no occasions, since 2010, on which the Department for Education has intervened when a local authority has not complied with its statutory responsibility of meeting the six-week regulation for visits of privately fostered children. The Department for Education intervenes when Ofsted finds performance has failed across a number of areas within a local authority’s provision of children’s social care. Local authorities are required to complete an annual statistical return giving details of private fostering arrangements known to them.

Children in Care

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were born to a parent who resides in residential care in each year since 2010.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what records her Department collects on pregnancy rates for women (a) under and (b) over 16 who live in residential care.

Mr Edward Timpson: The Department for Education does not hold the information requested in this format.Information on the number of children looked after who are aged 12 years and over, and who are mothers, is published in table A5 of the statistical first release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption’ [1]. This shows that at 31 March 2014, 40 looked after children aged 12 years and over placed in secure units, children’s homes and hostels were mothers.However, it is possible that these children were not looked after when they had their child. Additionally, data are only collected on the age of the mother at the birth of the first child, so it is not possible to determine pregnancy rates.[1] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption--2.

Children in Care

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department offers to teenage mothers in residential care.

Mr Edward Timpson: The rate of teenage pregnancies has fallen by 30% since 2010 – and is now at the lowest rate it has been for 40 years. The number of teenage mothers in care has also fallen by 23% over the same period.The Department for Education is taking steps to ensure this progress continues and will shortly be introducing new quality standards for children’s homes which will set demanding expectations of the care and protection they provide to children and young people, including teenage mothers.The Quality Standards will be accompanied by a guide, which will help staff understand what is expected of them, including helping children to develop strategies to form healthy relationships and know when a relationship is unhelpful or abusive.Since 2010 the Government had introduced a range of measures to help strengthen support for all looked after children, including teenagers making the transition to adult life. We have, for example, made clear that we expect local authorities to sign up to the Care Leavers Charter and provide a minimum of £2000 Care Leavers allowance to help young people leaving care set up their first home.

Schools: Defibrillators

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the Philips HeartStart FRx devices on which her Department negotiated a discounted price have been sold to which schools.

Mr David Laws: As of 23 January 2015, 124 confirmed orders had been placed for a total of 169 automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The list of schools as provided by NHS Supply Chain is as follows: School nameNumber of devices purchasedAquinas College1Archbishop Holgate’s School1Aylesford Primary School1Belgrave St Bartholomew’s Academy1Bishop Wordsworth’s School1Bishopshalt School1Bordesley Green Girls’ School and Sixth Form, Birmigham1Bourne Westfield Primary Academy1Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College (BHASVIC)2Brockhill Park Performing Arts College1Brookfields School, Reading1Bure Park Primary School, Bicester1Buxton School1Canada Hill Community Primary School1Carmel College, Darlington5Carshalton Boys Sports College2Castle Batch Community Primary School1Charter Academy, Southsea2Chesham Grammar School1Cheshunt School1Chesswood Middle School1Christ Church (Erith) C of E Primary School (part of Trinitas Academy Trust)1Cirencester Deer Park School1Clements Community Primary School, Suffolk1Cloughwood Academy1Colebourne Primary School and Beaufort School, Birmingham1Darlington School of Mathematics and Science1Dean Field Community Primary School1Downsway Primary School1Downsway Primary School1Elmlea Junior School1Energy Coast UTC, Workington1Fair Furlong Primary School, Bristol1Francis Baily Primary School1Greasley Beauvale Primary School1Great Torrington School, Devon1Greig City Academy, Hornsey2Grey Court School1Gunnersbury Catholic School, Middlesex2Hadrian Academy, Dunstable1Harris Academy Battersea1Harris Academy South Norwood2Harris Primary Academy Benson1Harris Primary Academy Crystal Palace1Harris Primary Academy Kenley1Hawkes Farm Primary School1Hayes Park School1Hayes School, Bromley1Highfield Primary School, Leeds1Holy Cross RC Primary School, Nottingham1Holy Trinity Primary School, Calderdale1Invicta Grammar School1Kesgrave High School1Kingsdale Foundation School3Kirk Hallam Community Academy3Lakey Lane Primary School1Lancaster and Morecambe College1Langmoor Primary School1Linwood School2Little Mead Primary Academy1Long Toft Primary School1Longfield Academy Trust, Darlington2Moor Park High School and Sixth Form1New Charter Academy, Ashton2Newlaithes Infant School1Nonsuch High School for Girls2Oakwood Primary School9Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy1Ormiston Sudbury Academy1Outwood Grange Academies Trust11Park Primary School, Doncaster1Parson Street Primary School1Pennine Way Junior Academy1Queen Mary’s School, Thirsk1Rednock School, Gloucestershire1Robert Sandilands Primary School and Nursery1Rushcliffe School1Rye Hills School1Ryefield Primary School1Sandhurst Junior School1Sandroyd School1Shoeburyness High School1Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School1Sir Herbert Leon Academy, Milton Keynes1Sir Robert Geffery’s School1South Molton Community College1South Wilts Grammar School for Girls1Springfields Academy1St Agatha’s Catholic Primary School1St Aloysius’ College, London1St Augustine of Canterbury CofE Primary School (part of Trinitas Academy Trust)1St Crispin’s School, Wokingham1St James’ Catholic Primary School, Birmingham1St Joseph’s College, Staffs4St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Bishop’s Stortford1St Margaret’s Academy1St Mary and St John Catholic Primary School1Stanhope Primary School, Tyne and Wear1Stanley Park Infants’ School1Stewards Academy2Summerlea Community Primary School1The Bishop of Winchester Academy, Bournemouth1The Bromfords School and Sixth Form College1The Bulmershe School1The Education Village3The Hollington Primary Academy1The John Fisher School2The Latimer Primary School, Leicestershire1The Rydale Academy, Darlington1The Skinners’ School1Thomas Estley Community College1Tong High School1Treviglas Community College1Vyners School2Waterloo Primary Academy, Blackpool2West Twyford Primary School1Westdale Junior School1Whitburn Church of England Academy1Wingfield Academy1Witham St Hughs Academy1Woodbridge High School1Woodford Primary School1Woodville CofE Junior School1Wyvern College, Eastleigh1   To help schools in considering whether to purchase these potentially life-saving devices, the Department for Education has also published advice on installing and maintaining AEDs on school premises. This advice is available online at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/automated-external-defibrillators-aeds-in-schools.Between 26 November 2014 and 25 January 2015, the download page for this document was viewed 4,858 times.

Schools: Offensive Weapons

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many weapons were confiscated from pupils in each age group in schools in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Mr Nick Gibb: The Department for Education does not collect data on how many weapons have been confiscated from pupils in schools.   The Department has produced and updated advice for schools which makes it clear that school staff can search pupils for their possessions, without consent where there are reasonable grounds to do so. If a pupil refuses to be searched, the school may bar them from the premises. The advice is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/searching-screening-and-confiscation.

Pupils: Attendance

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils attended (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five and (f) more than five (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in the most recent school year for which figures are available.

Mr David Laws: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.

Pupil Exclusions

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils in each year group received (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five and (f) more than five fixed-term exclusions in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Mr David Laws: The number of pupil enrolments by fixed period exclusion count and national curriculum year group, for the 2012/13 academic year, can be found in the attached table. 



Fixed period exclusions per pupil enrolment
(Excel SpreadSheet, 22.51 KB)

Ministry of Justice

National Offender Management Service

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many NOMS staff well-being events have been held in 2014-15 to date; and what target his Department has set for the number of such events in that year.

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many stress-awareness workshops NOMS has held since the roll-out of that initiative across the prison estate.

Andrew Selous: NOMS enables the delivery of local well being events, which may include stress-awareness workshops, through NOMS PE Instructors, the OH Assist Occupational Health Advisors (OHA) and the Help Employee Assistance Contract. NOMS also has 121 trained well being champions who work locally in establishments. Stress awareness training is also included in the POELT course that all new prison officers attend at Newbold Revel. NOMS PE Instructors deliver well being days in establishments and in Headquarters buildings.NOMS establishments can request that their OHA delivers workshops on well-being or other issues pertinent to the needs of their staff and there is an opportunity for establishments to request bespoke workshops for their staff on well being issues. There is no central record of the total number of well being events in NOMS.

Prison Service

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place in the Library copies of the Prison Service regional stress action plans.

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Prison Service post-assault protocol for supporting staff in the young people's estate.

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to roll-out the Prison Service post-assault protocol for supporting staff across the wider prison estate.

Andrew Selous: The following National Offender Management Service (NOMS) policies relating to post-incident care for all staff, including the Young People’s Estate, are currently extant though not all are published externally for security reasons:PSI 08/2010 – Post Incident Care https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/psipso/psi 2010/psi_2010_08_post_incident_care.doc PSI 2014/09 – AI 2014/06 Incident Management (this PSI is not available publicly for security reasons) PSI 64/2011 - Management of prisoners at risk of harm to self, to others and from others (Safer Custody) https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/psipso/psi-2011/psi-64-2011-safer-custody.doc Any local arrangements (protocols) for implementing these policies would not be published externally or otherwise made available to the Commons Library. NOMS PSI 08/2010 "Post Incident Care" is currently under review; this review includes the role of Care Teams which are cited in the policy and the revision will make reference to the new Employee Assistance services (since October 2014) and Occupational Health services, which are available to all staff and managers. We anticipate that this review will be completed by the summer.In addition to the publication of relevant PSIs, NOMS has internally published specific guidance for all staff and managers on the employee assistance services. There have also been a number of national internal intranet articles and guides published recently on managing wellbeing generally and in specific circumstances, directed to all staff.NOMS has been through a lot of change in recent years. Staff wellbeing is important to NOMS and this year we are focusing on resources to enhance the mental and physical wellbeing of our staff, ensuring they are supported through this change.

Employment Agencies

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many recruitment and employment agencies his Department has used to source staff in each year since 2010-11.

Simon Hughes: Since April 2010 we have cut our overall spend on temporary staff by £35.5m. We only use temporary staff to fill business-critical posts and essential frontline services where they can provide a fast, flexible and efficient way to obtain necessary skills that are not currently available in-house. The Ministry of Justice is committed to rationalising its supplier base and we will continue to examine our use of contractors and look for further reductions. In responding to the question above the number of suppliers is detailed as follows:  YearSupplier Numbers2010 – 111232011 – 12972012 – 13552013 – 14662014 – 15 YTD46

Prison Accommodation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the effect of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 on the number of prison places which are required.

Andrew Selous: The Ministry of Justice has undertaken analysis of the prison places that would be required as a result of the implementation of the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill. Impact Assessments have been published which include estimates for all policies which would either lead to an impact of £5m per annum or more on the public sector, or are likely to attract high levels of interest. These Impact Assessments include estimates of the prison places required and are available here: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2014-15/criminaljusticeandcourts/documents.html An updated overarching and final Impact Assessment will be published when the Bill achieves Royal Assent.This Government will always ensure that we have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts.

Prison Accommodation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the effect of section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 on the number of prison places which are required.

Mike Penning: Knives on our streets are a social scourge, and under this Government, criminals carrying knives are more likely to go to prison and to get longer sentences. Unlawful possession of a knife or offensive weapon is already a serious criminal offence (which carries a maximum 4 year custodial sentence). We are building on that in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, to make it absolutely clear that cautions should no longer be used for these offences. Parliament has also decided that those caught for a second time in possession of a knife should face a minimum custodial sentence. The Ministry of Justice has undertaken an analysis of the prison places which would be required as a result of the implementation of section 28 of the Bill. This will be published alongside the final Impact Assessments for the Bill when it receives Royal Assent. This Government will always ensure that we have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Minister plans to answer Question 216465 tabled on 28 November 2014.

Andrew Selous: I answered the right hon. member's question on 3 December, stating that I would write to him when the data was available. I hope to be able to do this next week.

Police Custody

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times police cells were used to hold prisoners overnight in each month in 2014.

Andrew Selous: As part of standard logistical arrangements, there are occasions where prisoners may be temporarily held overnight in police cells. We are categorically not using police cells due to a lack of space but because it is not always possible to transfer prisoners from courts to prisons in the time available at the end of court sittings – we have over half a million prisoner transfers a year so it is unsurprising that occasionally we cannot get prisoners back to their prison for one night. This is not the same as using Operation Safeguard, as in 2007-08. The number of prisoners held overnight in a police cell has come down to around 1,400 in 2013-14, after reaching a peak of over 50,000 in 2007-08. Police cells, under Operation Safeguard, have not been used since 22 September 2008 and no police cells under Operation Safeguard have been on stand by since the end of October 2008. The following table shows the total number of prisoners who were temporarily held overnight in police cells in England and Wales in each month in 2014. The totals include adults, young adults (18 to 20-year-olds) and young people (15 to 17-year-olds). Month in 2014Number of PrisonersJanuary168February372March175April64May46June112July274August116September62October96November149December111

Coroners: Cambridgeshire

Mr Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the effect of the proposed merger of the South and West Cambridgeshire and North and East Cambridgeshire and Peterborough coroner areas on the time taken for completion of investigations and inquests.

Mr Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) coroners, (b) deputy coroners and (c) coroner's staff are employed in (i) South and West Cambridgeshire and (ii) North and East Cambridgeshire and Peterborough coroner areas; and what estimate he has made of how many such employees will be working in the new area after the proposed merger of those areas.

Simon Hughes: The Ministry of Justice and the Chief Coroner are clear that the amalgamation of coroner areas, usually after Senior Coroner retirements, improves the consistency and standard of services and can deliver savings. The Ministry of Justice is currently carrying out a consultation to assess the impact of the proposed amalgamation of the South and West Cambridgeshire, North and East Cambridgeshire and Peterborough coroner areas. All individuals and organisations identified as being potentially affected by the merger have been invited to respond. We will consider all responses after the consultation closes on Monday, 16 February. The table below sets out the number of senior coroners (formerly “coroners”), Assistant Coroners (formerly “deputy or assistant deputy coroners”) and coroner’s officers in the South and West Cambridgeshire, North and East Cambridgeshire and Peterborough coroner areas and in the proposed amalgamated area.South and West CambridgeshireNorth and East CambridgeshirePeterboroughProposed amalgamated areaNo. of Senior Coroners1 part-time1 part-time1 part-time1 full-timeNo. of Assistant Coroners33 (1 also covers South and West Cambridgeshire)25Number of Coroner’s Officers5 (shared across the two Cambridgeshire areas)27

Prime Minister

Abortion

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Prime Minister, whether he will allow a free vote on amendments and new clauses to the Serious Crime Bill dealing with sex-selective abortion.

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Prime Minister, whether he will allow a free vote on the draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015.

Mr David Cameron: Issues on matters of conscience have, by tradition, been the subject of a free vote in the House of Commons.

Ministry of Defence

Navy: Deployment

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to increase the average length of Royal Navy deployments in the South Atlantic and the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Francois: Holding answer received on 28 January 2015



I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Personnel Welfare and Veterans (Anna Soubry) gave on 10 September 2014, (Official Report, column 618W) to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson).



Hansard extract on Warships
(Word Document, 24.5 KB)

Russia

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many airborne sorties have been carried out by the Royal Air Force to intercept Russian military aircraft approaching or entering British airspace in each month since April 2005.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times aircraft were intercepted by Quick Reaction Alert flights in 2014; and what the (a) intercepted aircraft type and (b) location were.

Mr Mark Francois: Holding answer received on 28 January 2015



Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft launched to intercept aircraft on 20 days in 2014. The number of days on which QRA aircraft have launched specifically against Russian military aircraft for each year since 2005 is contained in the table below. Not every launch resulted in an interception as some incidents were resolved prior to interception.   YearNo. Days Launched Against Russian Military Aircraft200542006120071920081120091120107201110201292013820148   I am withholding further details as deterrence is a principal function of QRA and QRA is in turn an integral part of the air defence of the UK. The disclosure of information that might compromise the QRA deterrent capability would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Navy: Deployment

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) length and (b) area was of each deployment by each Royal Navy (i) destroyer and (ii) frigate since 2005.

Mr Mark Francois: Holding answer received on 28 January 2015



The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Bases: WiFi

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons members of the armed forces  stationed in the Falkland Islands do not receive free wifi; and if he will make it his policy to ensure that all UK bases overseas offer access to a free wifi connection.

Anna Soubry: It is not the case that Armed Forces personnel in the Falkland Islands do not receive free wifi. Cards providing 100 minutes of wifi internet access are issued at no cost to Armed Forces personnel. The number of cards received is dependent on tour length as follows:up to nine months tour - one card a weeknine to 12 months tour - two cards a week12 months plus unaccompanied - four cards a weekIn addition to the cards, an internet cafe is available where personnel can access up to 45 minutes of Skype and internet browsing time per day.Location, capability and security can provide challenges in the provision of the internet to Armed Forces Personnel based overseas.

Reserve Forces: Injuries

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what retraining his Department provides to reservists who are discharged as a result of injury sustained during training or mobilisation and are unable to resume their civilian occupation as a result.

Mr Julian Brazier: Reservists who are medically discharged as a result of injuries sustained during mobilisation, including pre-deployment training, are entitled to the same transition support as a Regular Service person. This includes the optimum range of resettlement provision, regardless of how long they served and their reasons for becoming medically discharged. The Recovery Careers Services (RCS) is a charity led organisation specifically designed to provide an assisted resettlement route into employment for those medically discharged. The RCS works within the Career Transition Partnership family, which is the Ministry Of Defence's portal for connecting industry with personnel who leave the Armed Forces. RCS deliver an individualised, needs-based service to those Service personnel who require extra assistance, and provides additional support to those with the greatest barriers to employment due to the nature of their medical condition. All Reservists can also make use of Standard Learning Credits to fund small scale training.For those most seriously injured who may be unable to work again after service, there is provision within the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme for lifetime financial support and security. This applies to those injured whilst mobilised or on training.

Army

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has for further reductions to the headcount of the Army.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Minister made the decision to conduct the Army Command Review; and when that decision was made.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to conduct command reviews for the Royal Air Force or the Royal Navy.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to publish the Army Command Review upon its completion.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to conduct command reviews for the reserve branches of the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, similiar to that being carried out for the Regular Army under the Army 2020 process.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date the review of the numbers of senior ranks in the Army as part of Army 2020 will consult with (a) NATO allies and (b) other groups.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when exactly the review of the numbers of senior ranks in the Army will conclude.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff work on the Army Command Review.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Army Command Review will cost to produce.

Mr Mark Francois: The Army Command Review was initiated by the Chief of the General Staff with the knowledge of Ministers. There is no intention to change the principles of Army 2020, or to reduce the overall size of the Army.The purpose of the review was to improve higher command culture and structures and create a clearer distinction between the development of strategy and the delivery of operational capability. To this end, the Army Headquarters in Andover will be streamlined, with posts transferred into one of two new subordinate commands: Field Army and a support command. There will be an amended board and staff structure in the Army Headquarters. A number of cultural improvements will also be made to make the Army more agile, responsive and efficient, and attractive to the widest range of talent.There are no manpower or financial targets for this initiative, but the Army will look for opportunities during implementation of the review to reduce senior and middle management posts where that will contribute to greater simplicity and transparency and better align responsibility, authority and accountability. The aim is to re-invest any savings in the front line.The review was conducted over four months by a team of four led by a brigadier. Although the team drew on information from a number of sources, as an internal review there was no formal consultation with other bodies. A slightly expanded team, led by a two-star civil servant, will conduct the more detailed implementation. No additional costs were incurred by conducting the review.The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have undertaken Command Reviews both to ensure consistency with the principles of Lord Levene's Defence Reform Report and to reflect the nature of command responsibilities for each Service and the contribution they make, like the Army, to Joint and Central Defence leadership.Reserves were considered as an integral part of each review, reflecting the integrated nature of regulars and reserves in the 'Whole Force' concept.The Army will report its detailed plans for implementation to the Secretary of State for Defence in May 2015.

Stewart McLaughlin

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons his Department recently further delayed publication of the investigation into the case of Corporal Stewart McLaughlin; and what date his Department plans to publish the findings of that investigation.

Anna Soubry: I am sure the hon. Member will understand that we need to be certain our examination of this case is thorough. To that end, records have been examined at a number of locations, including the National Archive, the Ministry of Defence Medals Office and the Parachute Regiment Regimental Archives. The Under Secretary of State for Defence, my noble Friend Lord Astor of Hever, will discuss the results of the investigation with Corporal McLaughlin's family shortly.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's policy is on the use of Braille to communicate with benefit claimants.

Esther McVey: The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. We will always provide the best tailored service possible. If claimants express a preference for receiving the information in Braille, this will be provided. Guidance on how to get documents for claimants or customers in Braille using the contracted provision the Department has in place is available for all staff via the Department’s intranet.

Work Programme

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former incapacity benefit claimants found fit for work after being reassessed for employment and support allowance between October 2010 and March 2014 have found work as a result of the Work Programme in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK.

Esther McVey: The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Employment

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants have moved into work after being subject to the welfare cap in the latest period for which figures are available.

Esther McVey: At August 2014 (the latest published data) 9,624 households who had previously been capped were exempt from the benefit cap due to an open Working Tax Credit claim. This is 40% of those no longer subject to the cap at August 2014. The actual number of households who have gone into work may be higher as some individuals may go into work but may not be eligible to claim Working Tax Credits due to their earnings being too high or the hours worked not meeting the eligibility requirements.   Data for August 2014 is published here:   https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-august-2014

Unemployment: Young People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the oral Answer to the hon. Member for Easington of 26 January 2015 to Question 907220, what the evidential basis was for the statement that according to figures from the International Labour Organisation, youth unemployment is down on the quarter; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The statement was in reply to a question about long-term youth unemployment. The latest figures show the number of young people aged 16-24 unemployed for a year or more fell by 3,000 in the latest quarter.

Offshore Industry: Safety

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many improvement notices were issued to oil and gas companies operating in the North Sea by the Health and Safety Executive in the period from 1 January 2014 to date; and in how many such cases the company has yet to comply with the improvement notice.

Mr Mark Harper: Since January 2014 HSE has served 64 Improvement Notices relating to oil and gas extraction on the UK Continental Shelf.   The period for compliance has expired for 40 of these notices and all have been complied with. Four notices are subject to appeal and so are suspended until the appeal process is complete.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job centres there were on 1 January (a) 2010 and (b) 2015; and how many job centres have closed since 1 January 2010.

Esther McVey: On 1st January 2010, there were 781 Jobcentres. On 1st January 2015, there were 714 Jobcentres.21 Jobcentres have been co-located with Local Authorities in close proximity to their previous locations. These co-locations have been welcomed by the Local Authorities and other stakeholders like the Citizen Advice Bureaux.During the same period there has been a reduction of over 51% in the number claiming Jobseekers Allowance.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of maintaining the Jobcentre Plus estate in 2013-14.

Esther McVey: The Department for Work and Pensions occupies the majority of its estate under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) known as the PRIME Contract. This is in place until 31st March 2018. Under this PFI, which was set up in 1998, the Department leases back fully serviced accommodation from its private sector partner Telereal Trillium (TT). The Department pays an inclusive unitary price for the space occupied and this includes the cost for maintenance plus all other Facilities Management services, undertaken by TT. The unitary price cannot be broken down into individual elements; however the total cost of running the Job Centre estate for 2013/14 was £389m.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training has been given to staff working in universal credit service centres on dealing with the housing benefit component of universal credit.

Mr Mark Harper: We provide housing guidance on Universal Credit, including the housing element to all staff. In addition we have specialist teams in place within our Service Centres to support the housing element aspects of Universal Credit. Staff on secondment from local authorities, with experience of administering housing benefit, are working within these teams, and provide further support.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on rent for the Jobcentre Plus estate in 2013-14.

Esther McVey: The Department for Work and Pensions occupies the majority of its estate under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) known as the PRIME Contract. This is in place until 31st March 2018. Under this PFI, which was set up in 1998, the Department leases back fully serviced accommodation from its private sector partner Telereal Trillium. The Department pays an inclusive unitary price for the space occupied which includes the total cost of the rent and 13 Facilities Management services. The 'Property Component’ element which covers rent and building management charges (as an all-inclusive cost) was £104m for 2013/14.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Milk: Exports

Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help dairy farmers to export more milk products.

George Eustice: Growing UK food exports is a key Defra priority. In 2013 Defra and UKTI launched the ‘UK Food and Drink International Action Plan’. Since the Plan’s launch, 2,500 companies have received UKTI support for exporting, contributing to £305 million of export business won.   The Secretary of State recently visited China, and was accompanied by a range of UK dairy businesses who met Chinese buyers, distributors and retailers. In 2014 the Government championed British food and drink in Dubai (Gulfood), New York (Fancy Foods), Paris (SIAL) and at the Liverpool International Business Festival. We also showcased British food and drink at the Commonwealth Games and Tour de France.   In 2013 we opened 112 markets for animals and animal products contributing to an increase in exports to non-EU markets of £179 million to £1.35 billion. In 2014 we opened over 100 markets including markets for dairy in Madagascar, Morocco and Serbia. We continue to work with industry to extend market access for UK produce.   UK dairy exports now stand at record levels. In nominal terms, the total value of dairy exports has increased by 62% since 2009, driven by price and volume changes. Last year our dairy exports reached £1.3 billion.

Fossil Fuels

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the article by Christophe McGlade and Paul Ekins entitled The geographical distribution of fossil fuels unused when limiting global warming to 2°C, published in Nature on 8 January 2015, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the research contained in that paper.

Dan Rogerson: Defra is committed to understanding the sustainability of the major changes in energy infrastructure and use needed to meet climate change goals. We are currently leading the Sustainable Pathways to Low Carbon Energy (SPLiCE) research programme which aims to fill important gaps in knowledge about the environmental, social and economic consequences, both positive and negative, of different energy system components which could form part of a low carbon energy infrastructure by 2050. We will consider the results of Phase 1, which runs to June this year, to inform decisions on future research needs.

Nature Conservation

Mr Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the trade (a) in the UK and (b) internationally in illegal medicines made from endangered species.

George Eustice: The UK is a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates international trade in endangered species. Tackling the illegal trade in products regulated under CITES, including Medicinal and Health Products, is one of the UK’s six current wildlife crime priorities.   In 2013 UK Border Force officers made 569 seizures under CITES regulations. Among the items seized were more than 700,000 units of medicines made from parts, or derivatives, of endangered species.   The UK Government is committed to working with our international partners to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. In February 2014 the UK hosted a major conference of global leaders to help eradicate the illegal wildlife trade and better protect some of the world’s most iconic species from the threat of extinction. Over 40 nations attended. The result was the London Conference Declaration, containing 25 commitments to action on enforcement and criminal justice, eradicating the market for illegal wildlife products and sustainable livelihoods.   We have designed a £10 million package, over four years, to support efforts around the world aimed at tackling the illegal wildlife trade. As part of this package, we are supporting projects which address the rising demand for illegal wildlife products, including demand for medicines made from endangered species, in China and Vietnam.

Milk: Prices

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Northern Ireland Executive on the effect of the recent reduction in milk prices on dairy farmers.

George Eustice: The Secretary of State chairs regular meetings with the Devolved Administrations on issues of mutual interest. She has had an exchange of letters with the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Northern Ireland Executive in the context of preparation for Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 26th January.   Defra officials also maintain regular contact with their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations on a range of dairy issues.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Miss Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received on the implementation of the basic farm payment scheme; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: We have engaged regularly with the farming industry and other interested groups on the implementation of the Basic Payment Scheme. This has included our formal consultation on the implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in England in October 2013, to which we received nearly 5,000 responses. 720 people also attended our regional consultation events. Our response to that consultation was published on 19 December 2013, with a further response in February 2014.   Since last April we have published a series of ‘Countdown to CAP Reform’ leaflets to provide potential claimants, including farmers and landowners, with as much clarity as possible on progress in implementing the CAP in England as it has become available. We have continued to seek input from industry and other interested groups.

Marine Animals

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the ability of (a) decapod crustaceans and (b) cephalopods to experience pain.

George Eustice: The Government does not consider that there is evidence to show that decapod crustaceans or cephalopods experience pain. A recent publication, which is often used in support of such animals experiencing pain, (June 2012: Evidence for pain in decapod crustaceans; Animal Welfare 21 Suppl 2: 23-27) notes “... it is still difficult to state categorically that pain is experienced by decapods”.

Bees

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support bees and pollinators.

Elizabeth Truss: On November 4th, we published the National Pollinator Strategy, a 10 year plan to help pollinators thrive involving farmers, major landowners and the public. Bees and other pollinators are vital for our £100bn food chain and are worth £400m to the economy.

Flood Control

Mr Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure the provision of adequate flood protections.

Elizabeth Truss: We are investing £3.2 billion on flood management in this parliament; a real term increase and half a billion pounds more than in the previous parliament. Going forward we are making a record level £2.3 billion capital commitment, investing in more than 1,400 schemes to improving defences; a further 9% real terms average increase. We estimate this will provide more than £30 billion of economic benefit and provide better protection for 300,000 households.

Food: EU Law

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many UK food and drink products have protected status under European law.

George Eustice: There are currently 70 British food and drink products with protected status.

Fracking

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish without redaction the Shale Gas: Rural Economy Impacts report, published by her Department with redactions in March 2014.

Elizabeth Truss: The economic impact of fracking is a matter for the Department for Energy and Climate Change.   The paper that my Hon Friend refers to was an internal draft document. It was not analytically robust and was not signed off by Ministers. It has not been published and we have no plans to do so.   My department is responsible for the environmental aspects of this policy. The Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering review on shale gas concluded if fracking is properly regulated it is safe and has minimal environmental impacts.

Home Office

Animal Experiments

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect the well-being of animals once they have outlived their use in laboratories.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 22 January 2015



The Home Office published ‘Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986’ (ASPA) which includes guidance on what may happen to animals at the end of procedures (sections 5.20 to 5.22). The guidance includes specific advice on the re-homing and setting free of animals during the course of, or at the end of, procedures under ASPA. ASPA requires that, at the end of procedures, any animal that is suffering, or likely to suffer, adverse effects as a result of procedures applied is humanely killed. Nevertheless, with prior consent animals which are not expected to suffer can be re-homed or set free where it is beneficial for the individual animal. The animal should not be re-homed or set free where it would be at a biological or competitive disadvantage.Consent will be given under ASPA for re-homing and setting free only if the Secretary of State is satisfied that the assurances required by ASPA Section 17A have been provided by a competent person, usually a veterinary surgeon.

Animal Experiments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 25 February 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA239, how many organisms of which species have been generated following pronuclear transfer by researchers at Newcastle in each year of the last decade according to records held by her Department.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 23 January 2015



The Government does not hold this information and has neither funded or licensed pronuclear transfer in non-human primates.

Wildlife: Smuggling

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of the illegal wildlife trade on UK national security.

Lynne Featherstone: Wildlife crime, including the illegal wildlife trade, is included in the National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime (NSA). The NSA is produced by the National Crime Agency on behalf of UK law enforcement and states that the two main current threats relate to illegal import, export and internal trade in certain species and the persecution of wild birds of prey across the UK. Wildlife is sought globally for illegal trade because of the high demand for products, and those most valued are covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The NSA provides the single, comprehensive picture of serious and organised crime affecting the UK.

Female Genital Mutilation

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what courses her Department offers for training on FGM for regulated professions; and how many people attended those courses in each English region in each of the last five years.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 27 January 2015



The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) amongst professionals with safeguarding responsibilities. In June 2014 the Home Office launched an e-learning tool on FGM for all practitioners with a responsibility for safeguarding (social workers, teachers, health care professionals, border force and police). As of November 2014, 8,337 people had signed up to do the e-learning with 3,957 people having completed it. 99.5% of people who completed the training would recommend it to others. A breakdown of figures by English region is not available. The new FGM Unit has also now been established and is raising awareness of all of the available guidance and resources to professionals through a series of outreach events.

Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding has been allocated to her Department's inquiry into child sexual abuse for (a) 2014-15 and (b) all future years for which funding has been estimated.

Lynne Featherstone: Holding answer received on 27 January 2015



The Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is of the highest priority for the Home Secretary. We will ensure appropriate funding is made available for the Inquiry to carry out its functions as part of a cost-sharing arrangement across Government.

Gangmasters Licensing Authority

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the terms of reference are of the work the University of Derby is conducting for her Department to assess the need for extension of the remit of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to sectors beyond its current remit.

Karen Bradley: The University of Derby has not been contracted by the Home Office to assess the remit of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.The University is collaborating with the Gangmaster Licensing Authority to develop an academy which will offer those within the labour supply chain and others training on how to spot the signs of worker exploitation. This will enable them to enhance their checks on workers’ treatment and welfare and identify hidden forms of exploitation. The Gangmasters Licensing Authority have already piloted aspects of this training with the supermarket Sainsbury’s

Human Trafficking

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many victims of human trafficking had been previously identified as having been trafficked into the UK in each year since 2011.

Karen Bradley: The information requested is not held by the National Crime Agency (NCA) as it is not routinely recorded as part of the National Referral Mechanism process. However, the NCA's 'Strategic Assessment on the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking in 2013,' which was based on additional information and intelligence, identified that there were three cases where a potential victim had experienced a secondary period of exploitation following recovery during the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013. Similar intelligence assessments were produced in 2011 and 2012 which contained no data relating to the number of potential victims that may have been re-trafficked. Data for 2014 has not been published yet.

Slavery

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to establish the EU forum on vulnerable workers proposed in her Department's Modern Slavery Strategy launched in November 2014; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: The Government, with the support of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, is working with various bodies across the EU to strengthen links to tackle worker exploitation. As a precursor to establishing the EU forum, the GLA are mapping all the current bodies and inspectorates across the EU that may identify vulnerable workers and identifying complementary and overlapping interests to support greater co-ordination across the EU.

Proceeds of Crime

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2015 to Question 219531, what recommendations have been made by the policy review undertaken by the Asset Recovery Task Force.

Karen Bradley: The Asset Recovery Task Force policy review identified legislative, policy and operational changes that could be made to improve the UK’s response to overseas grand corruption cases following regime change. The review’s recommendations included actions that could help prevent the proceeds of corruption coming to the UK in the first place, as well as what could be done to identify, freeze and recover stolen assets. It has been implemented through measures in the Serious Crime Bill (including the lowering of the legal test for restraint orders and extending investigative powers so that they may be used after a confiscation order has been made) and the UK Anti-Corruption Plan (including the commitment to review the Suspicious Activity Report regime).

Cephalopods

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the protection of cephalopods under the provisions of Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 as amended.

Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cybercrime

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to police forces on how they record digital, cyber and online crime.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to police forces on the steps they should take to investigate allegations of digital or cyber-crime.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to police forces on training for police officers on tackling digital, cyber- and online crime.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance is issued by (a) her Department, (b) the College of Policing and (c) the Association of Chief Police Officers on the recording and investigation of online and digital crime.

Mike Penning: The Government is investing £860 million over five years through the National Cyber Security Programme to respond to the threat posed by cyber and online crime. Of this, approximately 10% is being invested in building law enforcement capabilities to tackle cyber crime. This has been used to build capability at the national, regional, and local level, including delivering training in cyber crime to officers in local police forces. The College of Policing has designed four e-learning modules on cyber crime, which give an introduction to cyber, digital and social media. Since they were rolled out in 2013, over 120,000 of these modules have been completed. The College and police forces have also been delivering a classroom-based course to police investigators, which gives them the understanding of how to exploit intelligence and evidential opportunities offered by technology, social networking and communications data.The College of Policing is responsible for issuing guidance to the police on training and investigations. Guidance relating to how crimes should be recorded is covered by the Home Office Counting Rules. In order to understand the scale of online offences the Home Office have introduced a voluntary ‘flag’ that enables forces to highlight online offences in police recorded crime. The flag is running on a voluntary basis for 2014/15 and will become mandatory in 2015/16. Initial guidance on how to apply the flag was issued to all forces in England and Wales in May 2014 as part of the Annual Data Requirement.

Counter-terrorism

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on sharing intelligence information to counter terrorism in Europe.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Police: Misconduct

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many allegations of misconduct were made against the Police Service in each of the last five years; and how many police officers have been dismissed for misconduct in that period.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Fixed Penalties

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices were issued for each type of offence in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cybercrime

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training police and crime commissioners and their staff receive on the circumstances of, and responses to, digital and online crime.

Mike Penning: Specific training is a matter for the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs)and their offices. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary regularly inspect forces on their response to crime, while the Police and Crime Panels scrutinise the work of PCCs.

Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department plans to pay (a) Ben Emmerson QC, (b) other legal representatives and (c) panel members for their work on the Child Abuse inquiry.

Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Offences against Children

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of child abuse the police recorded in each of the last five years; and how many people have been arrested on charges of child abuse in each force area in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Forensic Science

Mr Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken to forensically examine a mobile telephone is from the point of seizure by the police in England and Wales in the last five years.

Mr Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken to forensically examine a computer is from the point of seizure by the police in England and Wales in the last five years.

Mike Penning: This is not data that is stored centrally by the Home Office. The time taken to forensically examine either a mobile telephone or computer will vary considerably dependant on the material being examined. The resourcing of forensic examination is something that is determined locally by forces.

Ministry of Defence Police: Berkshire

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on when the Independent Police and Complaints Commission plans to publish the results of its investigation into disciplinary matters relating to Ministry of Defence Police officers based at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Burghfield.

Mike Penning: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) referred the matter back to the Ministry of Defence Police for local investigation on October 2013. While the investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further. The IPCC will write to the Hon. Member and I will place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

HM Treasury

Business: Tax Allowances

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of tax relief to businesses since 2010.

Mr David Gauke: Tax reliefs are administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as part of the tax system. HMRC publishes estimated costs of the principal tax expenditure and structural reliefs. The latest estimates are published on the HMRC website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-expenditures-and-ready-reckonersThere are some tax reliefs which businesses can claim where estimates are not yet included in the published estimates above. These reliefs include:Patent Box: Estimates on the cost of this relief are available within Budget 2013 documentation: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/221895/budget2013_policy_costings.pdfTheatre Productions Tax Relief: Estimates on the cost of this relief are available within Budget 2014 documentation: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/295067/PU1638_policy_costings_bud_2014_with_correction_slip.pdfChildren’s TV Tax Relief: Estimates on the cost of this relief are available within Autumn Statement documentation: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/384071/AS2014_policy_costings_final.pdfOil and Gas Field allowances: The ring fence tax regime for oil and gas does include a number of field allowances, which reduce the tax burden on specific challenging field types, ensuring otherwise economic developments are not uncommercial. Companies continue to pay Ring Fence Corporation Tax (which is higher than the main CT rate) even where income is covered by the field allowance

Revenue and Customs

Richard Fuller: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls to HM Revenue and Customs helplines from numbers in (a) England and (b) the Bedford 01234 area were answered in (i) less than two minutes, (ii) between two and five minutes, (iii) between six and 10 minutes, (iv) between 10 and 20 minutes, (v) between 20 and 30 minutes, (vi) between 30 and 45 minutes, (vii) between 45 minutes and one hour, (viii) more than an hour after the start of the call in each of the last six months for which figures are available.

Mr David Gauke: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate costs.

Revenue and Customs: Rhyl

Chris Ruane: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department arising from the closure of HM Revenue and Customs facilities in Rhyl.

Mr David Gauke: Although as part of a national initiative, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ceased its Enquiry Centre operation in Llys Anwyl, Rhyl in June 2014, there is still a current requirement to house the Department’s Executive Agency (the Valuation Office Agency) staff here. The building is still held by HMRC and the department has not yet agreed the surrender of the Enquiry Centre space.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Richard Benyon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of personal allowance increases on those in work.

Mr David Gauke: The Government has announced successive above inflation increases in the personal allowance this parliament, rising from £6,475 to £10,600 in April 2015 (an increase of 64%). The increases in the personal allowance since 2010 will reduce income tax paid by typical basic rate taxpayers by £825.   These increases will also reduce income tax paid by someone working full time on the National Minimum Wage by £618.  To date (2014-2015) the increases have benefitted 26 million individuals.

Rangers Football Club

Mr Brian H. Donohoe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2014 to Question 205620, how his Department calculated the cost of providing the information requested.

Mr Brian H. Donohoe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to pursue a claim for costs against Rangers Football Club.

Mr David Gauke: The information requested was not held within the Department in the form requested. A number of parties were involved in litigation and it was not possible to extract costs relating to an individual party without incurring disproportionate costs.

Unpaid Taxes

Mr Brian H. Donohoe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria HM Revenue and Customs uses to assess the prudence of settling a tax case when costs of pursuing a case are compared to the settlement offer.

Mr Brian H. Donohoe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of HM Revenue and Customs' accounting procedures relating to assessing the cost of pursuing big value claims.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC’s) approach to taking-up, working and settling disputes is set out in its published Litigation and Settlement Strategy (LSS). Governance procedures for how HMRC settles big value disputes are set out in the published Code of Governance for resolving tax disputes.Together the LSS and the Code of Governance assure taxpayers that tax rules are applied appropriately and even-handedly by HMRC.

Coastal Erosion

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional resources to the devolved administrations to tackle coastal erosion.

Danny Alexander: The Government has prioritised flooding and coastal erosion risk management over the course of this Parliament, and announced at Spending Round 2013 that £2.3 billion will be invested in flood and coastal erosion defences in an unprecedented 6-year programme.   Coastal erosion is an area of devolved responsibility, and as such it is for the devolved administrations to allocate funds between services according to their own priorities. The Barnett Formula was applied to departmental settlements in the normal way at the Spending Round.

Tobacco: Packaging

Mark Garnier: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2014 to Question 215879, what plans he has to publish the futures analysis on the potential impact of the introduction of standardised packaging on the illicit trade in tobacco.

Priti Patel: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) assessment on the impact of standardised packaging on the illicit trade in tobacco will be published alongside the Department of Health’s consultation summary in due course.

Interest Rate Swap Transactions

Frank Dobson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of claims for interest rate swap mis-selling have reached the redress offer and acceptance stage; and what proportion these represent of redress offers made for (a) Barclays, (b) RBS, (c) HSBC, (d) Lloyds and (e) Standard Chartered.

Mr David Gauke: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) publishes data on redress offers and acceptances on a regular basis, and it is available through its website - http://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/financial-services-products/banking/interest-rate-hedging-products

Air Passenger Duty

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of reducing (a) Band A and (b) Band B air passenger duty by 50 per cent, excluding Scotland, from 1 April 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel: Air Passenger Duty (APD) is kept under review as part of the normal policy management process.   I draw the Hon. Member’s attention to the disaggregated APD receipts by country which are published by HMRC at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/disaggregation-of-hmrc-tax-receipts and the data on forecast APD receipts and the cost to exempt children published in tables 2.1 and B.3 of Autumn Statement 2014 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-statement-documents.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Employment Agencies

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many recruitment and employment agencies his Department has used to source staff in each year since 2010-11.

Amber Rudd: Until July 2012, DECC utilised the non-permanent framework for interim workers which had 21 suppliers. For agency workers DECC utilised the non-medical non-clinical framework which has 143 suppliers. DECC calls off these but does not hold central records of how many individual agencies on these frameworks have been used.From August 2012, interim workers have been procured through the Contingent Labour 1 framework, which is a neutral vendor framework managed by Capita Business Services.Since April 2012, from which date central records were kept, nine recruitment agencies have been used for recruitment services for DECC employees.

Energy: Prices

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will amend the Social and Environment Statutory Guidance to the Gas and Electric Market Authority to include families with children as a vulnerable group.

Matthew Hancock: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Employment Agencies

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many staff in his Department were recruited through employment or recruitment agencies in each year since 2010-11.

Amber Rudd: The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) has used employment or recruitment agencies to procure contingent workers, as set out in the table below. Period No. of peopleApr 10 - Mar 11108Apr 11 - Mar 12172Apr 12 - Mar 13178Apr 13 - Mar 14151Apr 14 - Dec 1476Contingent workers include Agency Temps, Contractors etc. but exclude civil servants on permanent or temporary/short term contracts.The dates shown are the dates in which the contingent worker first commenced a period of work in DECC.

Fuel Poverty

Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if the Government will make it its policy to include families with children as a vulnerable group in the Social and Environment Statutory Guidance to the Gas and Electric Market Authority.

Matthew Hancock: The Ofgem Review of 2010-11 recommended that the Social and Environmental Statutory Guidance to the Gas and Electricity Market Authority should be replaced with a new Strategy and Policy Statement. The guidance will be repealed once the statement is designated. The draft statement, which Government consulted on last year, makes it clear that helping vulnerable households is one of the Government’s strategic priorities to which Ofgem should have regard to when carrying out its regulatory functions.

Energy: Billing

Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many families with children in (a) North Devon constituency and (b) the UK are in debt to their energy companies.

Matthew Hancock: Ofgem closely monitors domestic energy suppliers’ performance and publishes information in relation to debt owed by domestic electricity and gas accounts holders in Great Britain, but they do not publish data relating to families with children or constituency areas. At the end of 2013, latest data available, 1.5 million domestic electricity accounts holders and 1.4 million domestic gas accounts holders were in debt to their energy supplier:https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/92186/annualreport2013finalforpublication.pdf.(Ofgem’s Domestic Suppliers’ Social Obligations: 2013 Annual Report)  



Domestic Suppliers Social Obligations: 2013 report
(PDF Document, 771.76 KB)

Cabinet Office

Cervical Cancer

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in (a) the borough of Barnsley and (b) the UK in (i) 2013 and (ii) 2014.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Cervical Cancer
(PDF Document, 106.56 KB)

Young People: Hendon

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of young people aged 16 to 18 years old living in Hendon constituency had a working or educational status classified as unknown in each year since 2005.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Educational Status unknown
(PDF Document, 102.39 KB)

Deputy Prime Minister

Electoral Register

Helen Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people have been informed that their application for inclusion on the voting register was not valid because their national insurance number was not provided since the introduction of individual electoral registration.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Failure to provide a National Insurance number does not result in an application being declared invalid.Electoral Registration Officers have alternative methods of verifying an application including requesting documentary evidence of identity if personal identifiers, such as the National Insurance number or date of birth, are absent.

Department of Health

NHS: Drugs

Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on (a) all drugs, (b) cancer drugs and (c) drugs funded through the Cancer Drug Fund in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

George Freeman: Figures provided for Primary Care for total drug spend are the total of net ingredient cost (NIC) and for Secondary Care the cost of the medicines at NHS list price.Cost of drugs in primary and secondary care, England: 2009-10 to 2013-14Total drugs Cost (£ million) Primary Care1Secondary Care2Total2009-108,621.43,890.812,512.22010-118,881.14,173.913,055.02011-128,778.04,497.613,275.52012-138,439.05,020.813,459.82013-148,703.25,780.614,483.8Sources: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA), IMS HEALTH: Hospital Pharmacy AuditCost of cancer drugs3 in primary and secondary care, England: 2009-10 to 2013-14Total drugs Cost (£ million) Primary Care1,4Secondary Care2Total2009-10230.2748.1978.32010-11228.2846.11,074.32011-12190.0964.11,154.12012-13142.01,119.61,261.62013-14143.01,350.21,493.2Sources: PCA, IMS HEALTH: Hospital Pharmacy AuditSpend through the Cancer Drugs Fund between October 2010 and March 2014 YearSpend (£000’s) 2010-11 (Q3 and Q4)38,254 2011-12108,327 2012-13175,334 2013-14230,539Source: Prior to April 2013, information supplied to the Department by strategic health authorities. From April 2013, information supplied by NHS England.   Notes: 1 Primary Care NIC is the basic cost of the drug, which does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income. 2 Secondary care cost is the cost of the medicines at NHS list price which may not reflect the price the hospital paid. 3 Cancer drugs are defined by British National Formulary Sections 8.1 Cytotoxic drugs, 8.2.3 Anti-lymphocyte monoclonal antibodies (but also used in other indications), 8.2.4 Other immunomodulating drugs (Interferon-Alfa, Aldesleukin, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (B.C.G.), Lenalidomide, Pomalidomide, Thalidomide and Mifamurtide only), and 8.3 Sex hormones and hormone antagonists in malignant disease. 4 The main reason for the reduction in cancer drugs in Primary Care is the introduction of lower cost generic formulations.

Low Alcohol Drinks

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the sale of more low-alcohol drinks in pubs.

Jane Ellison: The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and its members have pledged through the Responsibility Deal (RD) to take action to help deliver the RD pledge to remove a billion units of alcohol from the market by the end of 2015, principally through improving consumer choice of lower alcohol products. Non BBPA members are encouraged to sign up too.   Pubs can deliver this commitment through a range of actions such as offering a house wine below 12.5%, actively promoting lower-alcohol products in their pubs, offering at least one non/lower alcohol beer.   Consumers have shown support for lower-alcohol products. This is demonstrated by the commitment to remove a billion units of alcohol from the market being achieved two years ahead of the target date and being 0.3 billion more than the target 1 billion reduction.   The reduction in the average strength of alcohol in the market has mainly been achieved by reductions in the average strength of beer - accounting for 1.2 billion of the 1.3 billion total reduction.   Pubs and shops also committed to voluntarily display unit and health information. Ipsos Mori carried out an independent survey this year, of whether the public saw such information. Their report found that over a quarter of respondents reported seeing a BBPA information image; over two in five 18-24 year-olds reported seeing at least one BBPA image; over a quarter of respondents have seen something similar, but different, to BBPA materials; more than half those seeing different materials also reported seeing BBPA materials.

NHS: Circle

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy that Circle not be selected as preferred partner for the running of NHS trusts or facilities.

Jane Ellison: The rules on procurement are the same as those used by the previous Government. The Department does not hold a list of preferred providers. As has always been the case, any future procurement decisions would be based on careful consideration of the best arrangement to ensure safe and sustainable NHS services and care in England for both patients and staff.

Health Services

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what scope the joint committees of NHS England and clinical commissioning groups will have to deviate from national service specifications for specialised services in (a) 2015-16 and (b) future years.

Jane Ellison: Whilst NHS England remains the accountable commissioner for a specialised service, national service specifications and policies will still apply in their entirety. This position applies even when there are services which are collaboratively commissioned with clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) through joint committee arrangements.   If a service is transferred to CCG commissioning responsibility there will need to be an agreed transition plan about the continued use of national service specifications and policies.

Health Services

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS England will remain the sole budget-holder and accountable commissioner for all specialised services in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) future years.

Jane Ellison: NHS England is the accountable commissioner and budget holder for all specialised services as set out in The National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (Responsibilities and Standing Rules) Regulations 2012, with the Manual for prescribed specialised services providing further detail.   NHS England is proposing to move to a more collaborative approach to commissioning some specialised services, aligned to the vision set out in the Five Year Forward View. This should lead to improved outcomes for patients, more integrated pathways and a better patient experience.   NHS England has clarified that where there are collaboratively commissioned services, NHS England will retain the full financial risk for these services for 2015/16.   NHS England has advised us that there will be further work conducted over the next year to determine the range of specialised services for which NHS England should remain the accountable commissioner and budget holder for 2016/17 and future years.   Copies of The National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (Responsibilities and Standing Rules) Regulations 2012 and the Manual for prescribed specialised services are attached. 



Manual for prescribed specialised services
(PDF Document, 1.53 MB)




NHS Commisioning Board & CCG Regulations 2012
(PDF Document, 258.21 KB)

Cancer: Drugs

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the scoring tool used by NHS England in the review process for treatments on the Cancer Drugs Fund was developed; what scientific evidence was used in the development of the tool; and how clinicians and patients were involved in the development of the tool.

George Freeman: The national Cancer Drugs Fund prioritisation tool was developed by experts in the London Cancer New Drugs Group and the North West Cancer Drugs Fund Panel. It was utilised by the London and North West Cancer Drugs Fund Panels prior to the Cancer Drugs Fund moving to NHS England.   The prioritisation tool uses objective scoring measures such as progression free survival and overall survival to assess the clinical benefit of each drug under review. It was deemed the fairest and most consistent method by both patient members of the NHS England Clinical Reference Group (CRG) for Chemotherapy and the clinical experts within that CRG. It was therefore adopted by the national Cancer Drugs Fund Panel, which comprises expert clinicians. It has also been recognised by the pharmaceutical industry as a fair assessment of the clinical benefits of a drug.

Nurses: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) district nurses, (b) health visitors, (c) community psychiatric nurses, (d) community matrons and (e) community learning disability nurses have been employed in each clinical commissioning group area in Nottinghamshire in each year since those groups were set up.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Data is not available in the format requested.

Health Professions: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurses, (b) doctors, (c) surgeons and (d) midwives have been employed at (i) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and (ii) Nottingham University Hospitals in each year since 2005.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The information requested is provided in the table attached.   Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust did not exist in 2005, but was created through the merger of Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust and Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham University NHS Trust on 1 April 2006. Data for 2005 has been provided for those two organisations. 



Staff employed Sherwood FT & Nottingham Hospitals
(Excel SpreadSheet, 34.66 KB)

Health Professions: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many training posts for (a) nurses, (b) doctors, (c) surgeons and (d) midwives have been commissioned at (i) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and (ii) Nottingham University Hospitals in each year since 2005.

Dr Daniel Poulter: Health Education England (HEE) and the Department do not hold this information at a national level. At national level HEE only hold total commissions for England.

Clinical Trials

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department provides incentives to individual hospital trusts and clinicians to participate in (a) clinical trials in general and (b) clinical trials for ovarian cancer.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what analysis his Department has made of the effect the Government's Strategy for UK Life Sciences on the referral of women with ovarian cancer to suitable trial centres in the UK.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the participation of women in trials for ovarian cancer treatments.

George Freeman: The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) supports and incentivises hospital trusts and clinicians to participate in clinical trials and studies in a number of ways.   The NIHR clinical research network (CRN) provides infrastructure and resource to enable the national health service to support participation in research across all clinical specialties and the CRN performance management framework measures and encourages such participation. In 2013/14 through the CRN over 99% of NHS trusts participated in CRN portfolio studies and 86% of NHS trusts participated in CRN commercial contract portfolio studies.   Decisions on how resource is to be distributed is devolved to local clinical research networks and monitored by the NIHR CRN Co-ordinating Centre on behalf of the Department; in some cases resource is provided as funded clinical sessions.   Patient recruitment to UK CRN trials and studies in ovarian cancer has more than tripled from 398 in 2009/10 to 1,283 in 2013/14.   The NIHR provides infrastructure for early phase clinical trials in cancer, including ovarian cancer, through its biomedical research centres, and through experimental cancer medicine centres jointly funded with Cancer Research UK.   Through its training and career development programmes, the NIHR supports clinicians at all stages of their career: integrated clinical and academic training; predoctoral, doctoral and postdoctoral training; and more senior awards. The prestigious NIHR Senior Investigator award provides an additional incentive for the country’s most outstanding clinical researchers. Participation in clinical trials may form part of research undertaken through training and career development awards.   The NIHR Research Design Service offers advice and support on clinical trial and other research design and methodology to researchers making funding applications and doing research within the health research system.   The Government’s Mandate to NHS England requires it to ensure that the new commissioning system promotes and supports participation by NHS organisations and NHS patients in research funded by both commercial and non-commercial organisations.   The Department has made no specific analysis of the effect of the Strategy for UK Life Sciences on the referral of women with ovarian cancer to suitable trials centres in the United Kingdom. As part of the strategy, the Government re-launched an enhanced web-based UK Clinical Trials Gateway. This provides patients and the public with authoritative and accessible information about clinical trials in the UK, including trials in ovarian cancer. The number of visits to the Gateway nearly tripled from just over 60,000 in 2011/12 to nearly 170,000 in 2013/14.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Mr David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2015 to Questions HL4063 and HL4228, how the Expert Panel convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) were assured that the children concerned were genetically normal; whether each of the mitochondrial diseases listed in Annex D of the Department of Health's consultation document Mitochondrial Donation is associated with an abnormal karyotype; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence between the member of the HFEA's Expert Panel and the Zhang research group.

Jane Ellison: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the term ‘genetically normal’ was used in reference to the detail outlined in the Zhang et al abstract regarding the outcome of genetic tests, as follows:   “Nuclear genetic fingerprinting confirmed that the nuclear DNA from 24 and 29 wk fetuses matched that of the patient’s. Mt DNA profiles in fetal red blood cells were similar to those from cytoplast donor with no detection of patient (karyoplast donor) Mt DNA.“   We are also advised that all of the mitochondrial diseases listed in the consultation document are due to point mutations or deletions and thus there is a normal karyotype.   On the question of correspondence between a member of the HFEA convened Expert Panel and the Zhang research group, I have nothing further to add to the information given to Questions HL4063 and HL4228.

Cancer: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on awareness campaigns for children's cancer since May 2010.

Jane Ellison: Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer, published on 12 January 2011, committed over £450 million to achieve earlier diagnosis of cancer, including awareness campaigns. It is not possible to break this spending down to individual age groups.

Amenity Beds

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many amenity beds there were in the NHS in each year from 2009-10 to the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The number of amenity beds is not collected centrally.

Abortion

Mr David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures apply to independent sector places when there has been a failure to comply with the requirements of the revised Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy and his Department's Guidance in Relation to the Requirements of the Abortion Act, both published in May 2014.

Jane Ellison: The Department of Health has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Neuromuscular Disorders: North East

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the results of his Department's audit of specialised neuromuscular services in the North East.

Norman Lamb: The Department has not carried out such an audit and has no plans to conduct an audit. NHS England is responsible for the commissioning and delivery of prescribed specialised services, such as neuromuscular services.   We are advised that NHS England, along with the clinical commissioning groups in the area, is currently reviewing specialist services to ensure they meet national specification standards. This work is ongoing and no decisions have been taken.

Royal London Hospital

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel is meeting the four-hour A&E waiting times target.

Jane Ellison: We are advised that the accident and emergency department at the Royal London Hospital site experienced a 6.6% increase in attendances during August-December 2014 compared to the same period in 2013.   A total of £12.6 million was allocated to the local health system to support the trust, as part of a record overall package of £700 million in Government support.   A number of initiatives have been put in place, including at the Royal London site, to recover performance, including:   - early opening of escalation beds; - processes for increasing weekend discharges; - admission avoidance schemes; - increased clinical support; and - improved processes to enable medically fit patients to leave the hospital.

NHS: Assets

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2015 to Question 221099, and with reference to his speech to the King's Fund on 13 November 2014 in which he cited the claim by the London Health Commission that the total value of surplus NHS estate in the capital is worth £1.5 billion, what information he holds on the evidential basis of that claim; what assessment he has made of whether that claim is compatible with the data given in the Answer; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The London Health Commission figure relates to property assets owned by National Health Service organisations in London. The data given in Question 221099 represented only land and buildings owned nationally by the Department. The two data sets can therefore not be compared.

Chronic Illnesses

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to report on progress on the National Service Framework for long-term conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: There are no plans to report on the progress on the National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions (LTCs), published under the previous administration in 2005.   As you may be aware, since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for securing high quality outcomes for people with people with LTCs. In our mandate to the National Health Service, we set out ambitions to improve the care and support of patients with long term illnesses, helping them to live healthily and independently, with much better control over the care they receive. In response, NHS England set out a range of actions designed to deliver this, central to which was implementation of the House of Care model, which is designed to support the delivery of person-centred, coordinated care. The House of Care enables individuals to make informed decisions about their treatment and empowers them to self-manage their LTCs in partnership with health and care professionals.

Cancer: Drugs

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Cancer Drugs Fund list will next be updated.

George Freeman: The Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) Panel meets regularly. NHS England aims to publish any changes made to the national CDF list within 10 working days.

Spirits: Packaging

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has plans to introduce plain packaging for spirits; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The Government has no plans to introduce plain packaging for spirits.

Ebola

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved administrations about possible additional measures to respond to an outbreak of Ebola in the UK.

Jane Ellison: I hold regular meetings with health Minister counterparts in the Devolved Administrations to consider and review United Kingdom Ebola preparedness and response arrangements.   The UK has robust, well-developed and well-tested public health and National Health Service systems for preventing and managing infectious diseases including any imported case of this type of disease, supported by a wide range of experts and specialist units.   Screening arrangements are already in place at the UK’s main ports of entry for people travelling from the affected regions. A number of national and local multi-agency exercises have also been conducted in recent months to test co-ordination, operational resilience and communications systems across the UK in order to provide assurance of Ebola preparedness. This included a recent exercise at official and Ministerial level involving all four nations of the UK. The case of the British nurse who recently returned from Sierra Leone demonstrated that the systems put in place across the UK to prepare for and respond to a case of Ebola worked well.   The Department – in close collaboration with the Devolved Administrations - will keep all preparedness arrangements under review and continually look to improve or strengthen these arrangements, as guided by expert clinical advice.

Health Services: Northern Ireland

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with his Northern Irish counterpart about the exchange of best practice on the use of technology within the NHS.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The Department of Health is responsible for providing a United Kingdom position to the European Union, concerning eHealth technology issues. As part of this, the Department consults with the Devolved Administration eHealth leads to exchange best practice on the use of technology within the National Health Service. This is facilitated via the United Kingdom eHealth Forum which includes representatives from the Northern Ireland Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety. The next United Kingdom eHealth Forum meeting is scheduled to take place in February 2015.

Cancer: Drugs

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on studies which have been carried out on the efficacy of the drug pemetrexed; if his Department will again make that drug available on the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing advice to the NHS on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of health technologies. It has published guidance on Pemetrexed for types of lung cancer, and recommends its use to some patients based on certain clinical criteria.   There is a legal requirement on the National Health Service to provide funding for treatments and drugs recommended by NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of the NICE technology appraisal guidance being published.